Vance McAllister: Married GOP Congressman Busted Kissing Staffer

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Freshman U.S. Rep. Vance McAllister says he’s asking his family and constituents for forgiveness after a West Monroe newspaper published a video that it says shows the congressman kissing a woman who wasn’t his wife.

In a statement issued Monday, the Republican congressman said, “There’s no doubt I’ve fallen short and I’m asking for forgiveness.”

The Ouachita Citizen posted a video Monday of what it said was Dec. 23 surveillance video from inside McAllister’s congressional office in Monroe, showing McAllister and a member of his staff.

“I promise to do everything I can to earn back the trust of everyone I’ve disappointed,” McAllister said.

McAllister has represented Louisiana’s 5th District since November. He attracted national attention because of his endorsement from the bearded men of the “Duck Dynasty” reality TV show.

Read McAllister’s full statement below:

“There’s no doubt I’ve fallen short and I’m asking for forgiveness. I’m asking for forgiveness from God, my wife, my kids, my staff, and my constituents who elected me to serve. Trust is something I know has to be earned whether your a husband, a father, or a congressman. I promise to do everything I can to earn back the trust of everyone I’ve disappointed.

From day one, I’ve always tried to be an honest man. I ran for congress to make a difference and not to just be another politician. I don’t want to make a political statement on this, I would just simply like to say that I’m very sorry for what I’ve done. While I realize I serve the public, I would appreciate the privacy given to my children as we get through this.”